Next Rocket Lab launch planned

Plans for the next Rocket Lab launch in New Zealand, the company's first fully commercial flight, are in the works.

14 March 2018

Rocket Lab are not resting on their fuel-injected laurels.

The American launch provider, based on the Mahia Peninsula on the east coast of the North Island, confirmed on Wednesday that an Electron satellite launch vehicle being was shipped to New Zealand in coming weeks, which would have payload on it.

On Twitter, Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck says the launch will be called "It's Business Time". The flight's name was put to a vote on social media, with "It's Business Time" coming out as a clear fan favourite and a continuation of the company's previous flight names, "It's a Test" (2017) and "Still Testing" (January this year).

Two Lemur-2 cubesats for launch customer Spire Global will be on board the upcoming launch, with the full manifest to be confirmed in coming weeks.

"We always set out to test a launch vehicle that was as close to production-ready as possible," Mr Beck said.

"To complete a test program so quickly and be flying commercial customers is a great feeling. It's business time."